Member Spotlight: Steve Sherman of Industrial Rivet & Fastener Co. on the Importance of Collaboration

For more than five years, the Vice President of Industrial Rivet and Fastener and chair of IFI’s Technical Committee, Steve Sherman, has brought steady leadership and technical insight to IFI. Steve plays an important role, along with the committee, in shaping the standards and guidance that keep the fastener industry moving forward.

In his work with the Technical Committee, Steve helps organize task groups that tackle the real-world challenges members face. Whether it’s updating existing standards or developing new ones, the goal is the same: make sure the industry stays aligned, informed, and prepared for what’s next.

Collaboration sits at the center of this work. Steve encourages company leaders to prioritize sending their engineers and technical staff to participate, because meaningful progress happens when minds meet. Benefits that strengthen both individual companies and the industry as a whole.

He also appreciates the people who make up the IFI community. With decades of collective experience, the organization is rich with knowledge. Members share insight on everything from economic shifts to government policy and international market impacts. That shared understanding helps protect and strengthen the fastener industry across North America, including the ripple effects felt in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

For Steve, the value of IFI is simple: Industry leaders coming together to face challenges head-on and work as one to find solutions.